5
by AbbyMasrai
Summary: This a story that begins at the end.The end of Logan's life,to be exact.But death is not the destination,but rather the beginning of a journey.For Logan, the journey entails reunions with loved ones, meeting strangers, and learning about himself.
1. Heaven

**A/N: Hey guys! So I read this amazing book called "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." It's really really good. I highly recommend it. This story is based on that book, with some changes.**

**Disclaimer 1: I am NOT here to tell you what to believe or force-feed you what I believe. This is simply for entertainment, and I hope it will be seen for that. **

**Disclaimer 2: I don't own ****"The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom**

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><p>Chapter 1: Heaven<p>

_If I ever reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there__"-Anonymous_

Ever wonder what heaven looks like? Is it some ethereal paradise amongst the clouds, where angels sit around all day playing the heart? Does St. Peter really wait for every single departed soul to arrive at his pearly gates to hear their eternal sentence? Or does heaven not exist? Is it simply the presence of God? Or is there nothing after we die? Are we nothing without our earthly bodies?

The whiteness is vast, almost overwhelming. Logan Mitchell blinks rapidly, expecting it to go away. He takes off his glasses and gingerly rubs each lens against his white lab coat before placing them back on his face. But the whiteness remained. After a couple of minutes of examination, Logan discovers that he is standing outside in the snow.

_It's September, there shouldn't be any snow here," _he thinks to himself, perplexed by the sheer volume of the wintry blanket that now rested upon the earth. He turns around slowly, drinking in the beauty of the snow-covered forest.

_How did I get here?_

A mighty maelstrom encircles Logan, the wind howling fiercely into his face, its message the morbid tale of Logan's last few minutes on earth.

*~/_\~*

"_Dr. Mitchell?" _

_The grey-haired doctor spins around to look at the young nurse who has addressed him._

_"Yes?"_

_"You have a patient in room 364 who's waiting to be discharged. We need you to clear him."_

_Dr. Mitchell pinches the bridge of his nose, the fatigue getting to him. He has had a series of surgeries to perform in the last couple of days, and the strain was starting to set into his aging body. Back in his 30s, he'd be able to handle this with little problems, but as he inches closer and closer to the big 6-5, Logan finds that his body is not what it used to be._

_He nods to the nurse and adopts a brisk pace as he walks toward room 364. Reaching into the pocket of his lab coat, he pulls out his glasses and sets his second set of eyes onto his face. Grabbing the manila envelope that was tacked onto the door of room 364, Dr. Mitchell enters the room with an air of authority and experience. The patient, who is complaining into his cell phone immediately quiets at the sight of Dr. Mitchell. He couldn't have been older than 18, the doctor thinks to himself as he notes the boy's lanky body and acne-filled face. _

_"Well, Mr. Harris, it looks like all of your blood work came back normal, and the incision on your leg is healing nicely. So, as long as you have someone to drive you home, I think you're ready to g-"_

_The rest of Dr. Mitchell's statement is buried beneath the sudden loud and distinct sound of gunshots and screams of fear. Dr. Mitchell's heart skips a beat, and his mind immediately trying to rationalize that what he had heard were not gunshots. It has to be something else. But a few seconds later, he hears the sounds again, this time much closer to where he and his patient are. _

_This time, the adrenaline begins to course through him, and Dr. Mitchell takes action. He signals to his patient, who by this time is as white as his sheets, to lay down flat on his back and close his eyes. The boy does as he is instructed without hesitation, and as soon as his eyes close, Dr. Mitchell drapes the sheet over the boy's body, making sure no part of him is visible to the outside world._

_The sound of footsteps quickly draws nearer to room 364, and Dr. Mitchell finds himself tense up, preparing for whatever may happen. The sound finally stops, and a figure appears in the doorframe. Dr. Mitchell looks into the eyes of the gunman, and what he sees startles him. He doesn't see malice or apathy. No trace of glee appears on this middle- aged man's face. Rather, Dr. Mitchell sees anger and sadness in the stranger's sea green eyes. He also notices the gun shake in the man's hand slightly, and for a moment, Dr. Mitchell wonders if he is also afraid._

_"You don't have to do this," Dr. Mitchell states calmly, his voice much stronger than he thought it would be._

_"J-just shut up!" the man cries, pointing the gun at Dr. Mitchell's chest. The doctor complies and waits for the killer to do something._

_The man nods toward the bed where the doctor's patient lays hidden. "What's the story with that one?"_

_"Car crash. His wounds were too great and he passed this morning," he lies._

_The gunman sneers. "So you couldn't save him either?"_

_Dr. Mitchell pauses, confused by the man's statement. The man then ignores him, slowly approaching the bed. With a firm yank, he removes the sheet over the boy's body. Dr. Mitchell's heart skips a beat, afraid of what would happen if the killer realizes the boy is not dead. After a couple of seconds of looking over the boy, the man scoffs and turns away from the young man's bed. Dr. Mitchell tries to hide the relief he feels, but the gunman notices his change in demeanor. He points the gun at the doctor, trying to intimidate him._

_"What?" he exclaims ferociously._

_"Why are you doing this?" Dr. Mitchell asks, attempting to divert the man's attention._

_"What's it to you?"_

_"You don't have to do this," he repeats, "If you stop now, and surrender of your own accord, you'll get a lighter sentence. There's so much more to life than destruction or revenge or power."_

_The killer hesitates, almost as if he has a change of heart. Dr. Mitchell notices the golden band around the man's finger._

_"Think of your family…don't you want to be around for them?"_

_As soon as the words leave Dr. Mitchell's mouth he knows he made a grave error. The intensity of the man's gaze grows exponentially and before the doctor can react, he pulls the trigger. _

_The pain is excruciating as it spreads across his body like wildfire. Dr. Mitchell falls to the ground, scarlet rivulets leaving his body at an accelerated pace. His vision starts to diminish and the last thing he sees is the killer's back as he walks through the door. _

_Numbness claims Dr. Mitchell's body, and moments later, everything goes black. _

*~/_\~*

Instinctively, Logan's hand goes to his chest, but he feels no pain. Suddenly, Logan realizes that he feels neither the bitter coldness of the winter weather around him, nor the aches and pains he's grown accustomed to in his older years.

_Where am I?_

Logan jumps at a loud noise, surprised by the fact that something in this silent vast white tundra could make a sound so great.

He begins to walk in the direction he heard the sound come from, not knowing what else to do. He hikes for a good amount of time, surprised that he is able to do so so easily. Finally, a huge lake appears in his line of sight. As he reaches the edge of the lake, he discovers two things: the lake is completely frozen over and there is a figure skating in the distance. Logan steps onto the lake and notes that it seems to be holding his weight without trouble. Carefully, Logan makes his way to the figure, trying his best to move on the ice without the use of skates. He's about halfway between the figure and the shore when he suddenly falls. Logan stays where he landed for a few minutes and takes in the scenery. A few seconds pass, and he finally makes a connection.

_This is the lake Carlos, James, Kendall, and I used to go to everyday to practice hockey._

"Close, but not quite." Logan hears someone from behind him respond, even though Logan had not spoken. A hand appears in front of his face. Reaching out, he grasps the hand and is pulled back up to his feet. Logan turns to face the person who helped him up, and he gasps.

He looks the same as he did the day he died. He is still tall and strong, good-looking, and his green eyes are just as piercing as ever. Even his crooked smile remains untouched by the sands of time.

Logan stutters at first, but finally succeeds in voicing his disbelief as he stares at the very familiar face he thought he'd never see again.

"K-k-Kendall?"

"Welcome to heaven, buddy."

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Disclaimer 3: Yes, I realize I took the whole hospital story from Grey's Anatomy/House/every other medical drama out there. To be honest, it was a convenient way to kill off Logan. I definitely do not pass the idea as my own. **

**Anyways: ok, that's chapter 1! I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think. I really hope you liked it, the book truly is wonderful. It definitely got me thinking. So, I hope you go read it, if you haven't already. And if you have read it, well I hope I can do the book justice. Let me know how I can improve. Much love!**


	2. Lesson One

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the favorites and alerts on this story. And thanks to Sarah for the review! It means a lot to me. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p>Chapter 2: Lesson One<p>

_What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise_ – Oscar Wilde

"Heaven?" Logan echoes, "You mean…I'm dead?"

The blonde boy nods silently.

"But where are the angels? St. Peter and his gates, and the Book of Life? Are you telling me this whole time Heaven has been Lake Benton?" Logan inquires, still stunned by everything he has witnessed.

Kendall sniggers, trying to contain his laughter. "Don't act so repulsed by the idea. But to answer your question, no. Heaven itself is not the lake you and I grew up near. This is _my _heaven, or rather I made my heaven to appear in the form of Lake Benton."

"What do you mean your heaven?" Logan inquires, feeling more confused by the minute. Kendall smiles patiently, as if he is talking to a small child.

"Ok, here's out it works here. Death is not the end. Rather, death is the mark at which your journey begins. After you die, you come here to heaven and meet the five people who have made some impact on your life. Some of us, obviously you will know. Others you may never have met, but each of us had some impact on your life. I'm your first person. And as your first person, it's my duty to shed light on some part of your life that while you lived it, made no sense. Do you understand?"

"I…I guess so."

"I want you to do something for me, Logan," Kendall says, suddenly very serious. Logan cocks his head, confused by the change of tone.

"Sure, Kendall. What do you want me to do?"

Kendall points to the icy lake beneath their feet. "I want you to look at yourself in the ice. Tell me what you see."

"Ok."

Doing as he is told, Logan slowly sinks to his knees to get a better look at his reflection from the lake's frozen surface. What he sees shocks him.

His hair is no longer grey, but rather it resembles the hair of his youth: spiky and dark brown. His face too no longer bears any resemblance to his earthly body. The skin on his face is smooth and pale, the tone even. Logan looks down at his body and realizes that it too no longer looks like it did when he died. His arms were strong and sinewy, the muscles bulging as he flexes his arms. His midsection is no longer flabby, but rather firm and flat.

"How is this possible? I look like I'm sixteen."

Kendall nods. "In my heaven, you are the age you were when I died."

Logan tenses. He feels his body quiver, but it's not from the icy lake's frigid surface. He instantly knows his body is quivering from the memory of that awful day.

Kendall kneels down and places his hand on Logan shoulder. His green eyes stare into Logan's brown ones knowingly. "Do you now understand why I'm here?"

*~/_\~*

"_Today's been so much fun, hasn't it?" Logan asks his best friend as they walk through the park. It's nearly sunset, and the two boys decide to take a shortcut through the park. They plan to meet up again with their two best friends Carlos and James to go to the cinema and see the newest X-Men movie. _

_Kendall grins widely. "It's been the perfect day."_

_"Seriously."_

_It truly had been a perfect June day. Kendall and Logan, along with Carlos and James met up early that morning to hit the mall. There was a big sale on Cuda products that James insisted would be foolish to miss out on. The other three boys didn't particularly care about the sale, but they figured they could do other stuff at the mall afterwards. Once they were done at the mall, the four boys went to the ice rink to practice some hockey. The boys were so engrossed in the sport that they barely noticed that five hours had passed. It was the rumbling of their stomachs that alerted them to the passage of time. Kendall and Logan wanted some sushi, so they decided to go try the new Japanese restaurant in town. James and Carlos declined, saying that raw fish was disgusting. They bickered about it until Logan suggested the boys split up and meet at the movie theatre at seven. Finally coming to an agreement, the boys parted company, promising not to be late._

_Logan sighs as he looks up at the sky. He decided a long time ago that dusk was his very time of day. The colors that appeared as the sun set were always so breath-taking. And tonight is no exception, he thinks. It's the perfect ending to the day._

_Perfect meal, perfect sunset… he feels so at peace._

_He shifts his gaze from the sky to Kendall. "So, what did you think about—" _

_Before he can finish his question, Logan feels himself being pushed by some unknown force toward the ground. Painfully, he lands on the hard concrete, momentarily dazed by the sudden attack. He scrambles to his feet once he has his wits about him and sees Kendall jump on the assailant's back, ensuring the man remains far from Logan. The attacker, who is much bigger than either Kendall or Logan, flings the lanky blonde off of him with relative ease. Kendall crashes to the ground in a crumpled heap. Fearfully, Logan notes he doesn't move. _

_Before he can react, the man spins around to face Logan, and attacks. The brunette tries to fight back, but it is useless. He manages to land only a few decent punches before the man grabs Logan's arm and snaps it painfully. He hears his arm crack several times, and knows at once that it's broken. He lets out an anguish howl, as he tries to pull away from the man. Letting his arm go, the man then kicks him in the ribs, causing Logan to fly backwards and onto the ground. Logan tries to get up, but his legs wouldn't let him. Logan begins to cough, and then feels something dribble down his chin. Blood, he realizes.__Helpless, all Logan can do is curl up into the fetal position, hoping the man will leave Kendall and him alone._

_The man doesn't. He to kick Logan until he's forced to straighten his body. Once he does, Logan notices something in the attacker's hand. A gun…and it is pointed at straight at him._

_The sun is setting, and it is setting quickly. But, with what little light remained, Logan can see his finger curling around the trigger. The boy closes his eyes, anticipating the shot when he hears Kendall yell his name. His eyes pop open, and Logan sees his best friend stand up, staggering over to him._

_"Kendall, don't!" he shrieks, but it's too late. The man hears Kendall, and whips around to face him. Logan then hears the sound of three consecutive gunshots before the sound of a body dropping to the ground. _

_"KENDALL!" he screams in dismay, tears already flowing down his face. The man seems to pause, almost as if he has a conscience. But before Logan can react, the man drops the gun and flees. No longer caring about the attacker, Logan crawls to his friend as fast as he can, and ignoring the pain it causes him. Once he reaches Kendall, Logan gently cradles his wounded friend's head in his lap._

_Logan inhales sharply as he gets a good look at Kendall. His face is already sheet-white, and his eyes are getting cloudier by the second. His eyes flicker to the wounds and he sees the blood pouring out, forming a mighty, crimson river. Logan begins to feel faint, but forces himself to work through it. He tries to apply pressure to the wound, but it is apparent that it won't work. Logan's heart thumps painfully against his chest as he realizes that all he can do is sit there and watch Kendall die. _

_"Shhh…it's okay, I'm right here buddy," Logan whispers as he sees Kendall attempt to speak. Kendall's mouth continues to open and close, but no words come out. Eventually, the attempts end, and Logan is met with silence._

_Suddenly, in the distance, Logan hears the sound of sirens but he knows they won't arrive in time to help Kendall. Dejectedly, he looks down at Kendall, and pats his cheek. Kendall already feels ice cold, like marble. His labored breaths become shallower and less frequent. The convulsions that greeted Logan when he first reached Kendall are starting to cease, and the tension in Kendall's body begins to relax. _

_This really is the end. _

"_I'm not going anywhere Kendall. I'm right here with you."_

_Unable to watch him pass, Logan lifts his gaze back to the sunset, which has nearly disappeared. He watches as the colors he once thought so beautiful begin to fade into nothingness. _

_As the last rays of the sun left the sky, so too did Kendall's spirit. _

_"I'm right here." _

*~/_\~*

"I was so scared," Logan whispers, his emotions surging through his body "I didn't know what to do, and you died because I was helpless." Tears spring into Logan's eyes, spilling over his lids. "I've never felt so guilty in my life."

In sudden desperation, Logan grabs Kendall's shoulders. "I'm _so _sorry, Kendall. I failed you, and you lost your life because of me. I never forgave myself for what I did to you. Even forty-four years later, I still dream of that night and wake up screaming!" Logan lets go of Kendall and buries his head in his hands, the guilt becoming too much for him to contain within.

"You never told anyone did you?" Kendall asks, ignoring Logan's outburst. "You never told anyone that you became a doctor because of me."

Logan looks back up at Kendall, completely caught off guard by Kendall's question. "H-h-how did you kn-now?" Kendall smiles sadly at his friend.

"Because that's why I'm here with you."

The brunette doesn't respond. Kendall sighs and continues to explain.

"I'm not here to make you relive the dark moments of your life. As with the other four people you will meet, I am here to impart to you a lesson about your life."

"What's the lesson?"

"My lesson for you is that goodness can come out of even the most tragic of events. Think about it, had I not died in front of you, you probably would never have gone into the medical field. Am I right?"

Logan mulls it over. "Well, I did want to become a professional snowboarder at one point. It was kinda my thing."

"Exactly. You're life would have been much different had I not died. Think about all of the patients you have had over the years. How many of them lived?"

"Most of them," Logan confesses, a sense of pride seeping through his guilty conscience.

"And do you think all of the people who did live would have lived had they gone to a different doctor?"

Logan reflects on the question. "Well, maybe not _all_ of them."

"You were put into their lives for a reason, Logan. A lot of them would not have made had they gone to any other doctor. You may not have saved my life, but you've saved hundreds of others. And that, Logan, is truly a blessing."

"But why did you have to die for all of this to happen?"

A sudden gust of wind picks up around the boys, and the stillness of the lake is disrupted by a flurry of snow.

"That is not for me to say. In due time, you will learn."

"W-what's happening, Kendall?" Logan asks frantically, now unable to see his friend.

"Our time is coming to an end. I have fulfilled my duty, and now I must go on."

"Go on? Where are you going?" The wind relents some, just enough for Logan to see his friend. Kendall smiles enigmatically and shrugs. There is a mischievous glint in Kendall's light eyes, and Logan can tell he knows more than he lets on. But before Logan can question his blonde friend further, then wind picks back up and begins to blow even more. The snow hits Logan all over, and his vision is once again impaired.

"Goodbye, Logan. Perhaps we will meet again."

"Kendall, wait! Don't go!"

The wind and snow abruptly stop, and Logan can see the pristine lake once more. But this time, he is alone.

"KENDALL!" Logan yells, hoping desperately that his friend would come back. But he is met with silence. Sadness wells up in Logan soul at the fact that he's alone.

"Goodbye, Kendall."

Another breeze picks up, but this time it's gentle. As the wind brushes against Logan's face, he's convinced he can hear Kendall's voice murmur in his ear.

"Good luck, buddy."

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><p><strong>AN: Here's the next chapter! Please let me know what you think about this story. I haven't received a lot of feedback, which concerns me. So please, if you like it review so I know people want to read this story. Because I do have several other stories that I should be working on, but I've kind of put them on pause to focus on this story since I have the inspiration to write it. But I can just as easily stop if that's what people think is the best. So please review so I know I should continue. Thank you!**

**P.S.-Don't worry, James and Carlos will be in this story!**


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